The basis for education in the last millennium was “reading, writing, and arithmetic;” now it is reading, writing, and computing. Learning to program is an essential part of the education of every student, not just in the sciences and engineering, but in the arts, social sciences, and humanities, as well. Beyond direct applications, it is the first step in understanding the nature of computer science’s undeniable impact on the modern world. This course covers the first half of our book Computer Science: An Interdisciplinary Approach (the second half is covered in our Coursera course Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines). Our intent is to teach programming to those who need or want to learn it, in a scientific context. We begin by introducing basic programming elements such as variables, conditionals, loops, arrays, and I/O. Next, we turn to functions, introducing key concepts such as recursion, modular programming, and code reuse. Then, we present a modern introduction to object-oriented programming. We use the Java programming language and teach basic skills for computational problem solving that are applicable in many modern computing environments. Proficiency in Java is a goal, but we focus on fundamental concepts in programming, not Java per se. All the features of this course are available for free. It does not offer a certificate upon completion.
Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose
Offered By
Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose
About this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
Skills you will gain
Learner Career Outcomes
100% online
Flexible deadlines
Beginner Level
Approx. 41 hours to complete
English
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
BASIC PROGRAMMING CONCEPTS
Why program? This lecture addresses that basic question. Then it describes the anatomy of your first program and the process of developing a program in Java using either virtual terminals or a program development environment, with some historical context. Most of the lecture is devoted to a thorough coverage of Java's built-in data types, with example programs for each.
CONDITIONALS AND LOOPS
The if, while, and for statements are Java's fundamental control structures. This lecture is built around short programs that use these constructs to address important computational tasks. Examples include sorting, computing the square root, factoring, and simulating a random process. The lecture concludes with a detailed example illustrating the process of debugging a program.
ARRAYS
Computing with a large sequence of values of the same type is extremely common. This lecture describes Java's built-in array data structure that supports such applications, with several examples, including shuffling a deck of cards, the coupon collector test for randomness, and random walks in a grid.
INPUT AND OUTPUT
To interact with our programs, we need mechanisms for taking information from the outside world and for presenting information to the outside world. This lecture describes several such mechanisms: for text, drawings, and animation. Detailed examples covered include fractal drawings that model natural phenomena and an animation of a ball bouncing around in the display window.
29 Reviews
Top reviews from Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose
Beautiful course. I am a software developer with 10+ years of experience in programming and have never realized depth of actual MATH behind all that I do. Thank you Robert Sedgewick, you are the BEST.
Excellent course, inface the best I found on any MOOC platform for a complete beginner to Java. Loved it. Would appreciate more coding assignments though. Only week 1 & 2 have those.
Instructors
Robert Sedgewick
William O. Baker *39 Professor of Computer Science
Kevin Wayne
Phillip Y. Goldman '86 Senior LecturerAbout Princeton University
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll, you’ll have access to all videos and programming assignments.
Do I need to pay for this course?
No. The lecture videos, exercises, and programming assignments are all available for free.
Can I earn a certificate in this course?
No. As per Princeton University policy, no certificates, credentials, or reports are awarded in connection with this course.
For whom is this course intended?
This course is aimed at first-year college students, high school students, and professionals in all fields who are interested in learning basic programming skills. It is a self-contained treatment intended for people with little or no previous experience in programming. It is also appropriate for people who know another programming language but want to learn Java.
At Princeton, over 50% of all undergraduates take the course, including students majoring in engineering, biology, physics, chemistry, economics, and many other fields, not just computer science.
Which kinds of assessments are available in this course?
Multiple-choice exercises, in-video quizzes, and programming assignments. The programming assignments are evaluated using a sophisticated autograder that provides detailed feedback about style, correctness, and (sometimes) efficiency.
Which Java programming environment will I use?
We supply a streamlined version of IntelliJ that is easy to install and suitable for novices. However, you are free to use any programming environment that you like.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
